The “Relaxation for Kids” booklet from the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center is a 20-page educational resource designed to help children understand and manage feelings of anxiety and stress. It begins by identifying common physical symptoms of stress, such as butterflies in the stomach, sweaty palms, a racing heart, dizziness, tight jaw, muscle tension, pain, or nausea. The booklet encourages children to recognize these signs and understand that they can actively tell their brain and body to relax, which can alleviate these uncomfortable sensations.
The guide explains the concept of relaxation as a method to quiet the body and create calmness, even when there are many things happening around or inside the individual. It acknowledges that learning to relax completely requires practice but is a valuable skill for children to develop.
Key points from the booklet include:
- Understanding Body Signals: It encourages children to listen to their body’s signals during discomfort, stress, or pain to identify symptoms and communicate them to a trusted adult.
- Control Over Responses: The booklet empowers children with the knowledge that they have some control over their thoughts, actions, heart rate, breathing, and muscle tension.
- Relaxation Techniques: It provides information on how to calm the brain and body, suggesting that with practice, children can reduce the frequency of stress-related problems.
The resource is designed to be interactive and educational, helping children to learn self-regulation techniques to cope with anxiety and stress.
FREE PDF DOWNLOAD OF HOW TO RELAX WHEN YOU NEED TO RELAX: GUIDE FOR CHILDREN
